India assures all assistance to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone

FREETOWN: India today assured Ebola-hit Sierra Leone that it will provide all assistance to help the west African country battle with the deadly disease.

Union Minister Ramkripal Yadav, who is visiting Sierra Leone to extend invitation to President Ernest Bai Koroma for India-Africa Forum Summit in New Delhi in October, expressed India's concern over several deaths in that country due to Ebola.

During the meeting with Koroma, Yadav conveyed to the President that India stood with it and would provide all assistance to combat the disease, that has killed thousands of people in several African countries.

Yadav also extended Eid greetings from President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Sierra Leone President.

Yadav is on tour of West African countries from July 12 to July 20.

During the trip, he would also meet President of Ivory Coast and Guinea as representative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend invitation for the Summit.

The five day-long third "India-Africa Summit" is expected to be attended by nearly 1000 delegates including heads of government, ministers, government officials, business leaders and others.

Earlier, the summit was to take place in December but was cancelled due to Ebola outbreak in that continent.